High school and postsecondary students can also take the ASVAB test as part of the Department of Defense’s Career Exploration Program. This paper-and-pencil version of the test is the same as the paper-and-pencil enlistment version but excludes the Assembling Objects section. It is intended to help those students considering a career in the military to discover their strengths in both military and civilian jobs. If the student scores high enough in the AFQT section of the test, he may use the score to enlist within the two-year expiration window.
If you are enlisting in the military, good - a patriotic journey, where you can build skills and see the world. However there is one thing your recruiter didn't tell you. Your ability to get into a department that you want, depends on how well you can take a quiz - just like you did with the SAT, or whatever those test are called in current times. Those test asked those really stupid questions about the cost of ice cream if a train leaves New York at 4:00 and it is 20 degrees on Colorado. This book will teach you how to answer those ridiculous questions that WILL control your destiny. Get a copy and memorize it... then serving your country will lead to a great career.
A graphic view of the increasing trend in AFQT performance of accessions from FY 1981 through FY 1992 is provided in Figure 2.8. The more significant gains were in Categories I to IIIA, where the percentages increased from 47 percent in FY 1981 to 75 percent in FY 1992. Conversely, there has been a steady decline in the percentage of Category IIIB accessions. Most dramatic has been the decrease in accessions who score in Category IV—from 33 percent in FY 1979 to one percent or less since FY 1991. There has been a gradual decline in the percentage of accessions in Categories I to IIIA in the last seven years, from 75 to 65 percent.

A good score on the ASVAB is different than a minimum required score. Each of the military branches will have their own minimum required scores (see below). In practice, however, each branch will be more selective in their recruiting. A score of 50 on the ASVAB implies that you scored as well or better than 50% of comparable test-takers. Since ASVAB scores are used for many purposes (e.g., enlistment eligibility, military job placements, and career exploration), it is important that you score well on the ASVAB. A score of 60 or better should be your minimum target.

The Mechanical Comprehension section of the ASVAB practice test measures your understanding of basic mechanical principles and mechanisms. You may be asked why an intake valve on a pump opens when the piston goes down, or what direction friction is going when shown a diagram of a skier. The CAT-ASVAB has 16 questions in 20 minutes; the paper-and-pencil version has 25 questions in 19 minutes.
A Note About Raw Scores. A raw score is not the same as the standard scores you see on your ASVAB score sheet. On the ASVAB, harder questions are worth more points than easier questions. The raw score is the total number of points you earned on that particular ASVAB subtest. You won't know what your raw score is because the military doesn't include that information on the ASVAB score sheet.
A Note About Raw Scores. A raw score is not the same as the standard scores you see on your ASVAB score sheet. On the ASVAB, harder questions are worth more points than easier questions. The raw score is the total number of points you earned on that particular ASVAB subtest. You won't know what your raw score is because the military doesn't include that information on the ASVAB score sheet.
Educational Opportunities–More educational opportunities are available than ever before. Alternatives to traditional education, such as online courses and weekend or evening programs, allow individuals to obtain higher education while working full-time. New technology, such as live podcasts and streaming videos on demand, make it possible for people to learn at their own pace in their own place. Education is a lifelong process. Many people now choose to combine their education with work experience. For instance, instead of attending a four-year college immediately after high school, some people get a two-year degree in a particular field and then enter the job force. At some point, they may choose to complete a certificate program or a four-year degree to advance in their chosen field. Other people choose to enter the Military to take advantage of the educational benefits and training that is provided. There are a variety of occupations and career paths that you can pursue with different levels of education. Do not rule out a given career field simply because you think that the educational requirements might be more than what you would like to pursue after high school.

The majority of people who complete the exam have little intention of entering the military. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the United States military is actually one of the nation’s largest employers. If you’re undecided about your future after high school graduation, taking the test can give you a better picture of your options in both civilian and military life.

While you may want to get the ASVAB over with, it is important to give yourself enough time to prepare and practice for the ASVAB. Once you take the test you will have to wait 30 days before you are eligible to re-take the test if you got a non-passing score, or if you want a better grade. After you retake the test twice, you will need to wait for a 6 month time period before being able to take the test again. For this reason, it is important to pick an ASVAB test date that gives you plenty of time to practice and prepare for each section of the test.

[1] See two documents: Sims, W.H. and Truss, A.R., A Reexamination of the Normalization of Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Forms 6, 7, 6E, and 7E (Alexandria, VA: Center for Naval Analyses, September 1980); and Laurence, J.H. and Ramsberger, P.F., Low-Aptitude Men in the Military: Who Profits, Who Pays? (New York: Praeger, 1991).

In the 2000s, women can serve on U.S. combat ships, including in command roles. They are permitted to serve on submarines.[39] Women can fly military aircraft and make up 2% of all pilots in the U.S. Military. In 2003, Major Kim Campbell was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for landing her combat damaged A-10 Thunderbolt II with no hydraulic control and only one functional engine after being struck by hostile fire over Baghdad.